The Letter answered
by katie1999
Summary: New World Zorro. Don Alejandro unintentionally reads a letter addressed to his son. What he learns from it raises more questions than answers. This is a slightly alternate continuation of the letter where Diego is around to answer his father's questions. Please read 'The Letter' first before this.


**The Letter answered**

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><p><em>Disclaimer: This story was written solely for the enjoyment of other Zorro fans and is not intended to infringe on any copyrights held by GoodmanRosen Productions, New World Television, Zorro Productions, the estate of Johnston McCulley or anyone else._

_Author's note: Due to some requests I continued The Letter. This is an alternate version of the letter where Diego is around to answer his father's questions. Please read 'The Letter' first before this._

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><p>He took the letter and went to the library, where Diego was reading.<p>

"Diego, I'm sorry, I thought this letter was for me that's why I opened it. Can you please explain this to me, Diego? What is this all about?"

Diego took the letter from his father's hands and read it carefully. After he finished he sighed, he knew he couldn't get out of this without a good explanation. Of all letters his father had to read this one.

"Diego, please tell me that this letter is not true. There must be some mistake."

"I'm sorry, Father, you had to find out this way. I wanted to tell you for some time, but I wanted to protect you."

"Tell me what, Diego? That you are secretly engaged, when there is nothing I want more than seeing you happily married? And why did you disinherit yourself? I always thought you were proud to be a De la Vega. There is nothing to be ashamed of. Why, Diego? Why don't you trust me? Am I such a bad father that I have lost the trust of my only son?" Alejandro sounded desperate. "Is there something wrong with you that you haven't told me? Are you sick that there is the need for a will?"

"No, father, I'm not sick. What I wanted to tell you is that I'm Zorro."

"You are Zorro?" Alejandro was speechless. "But, you don't know how to handle a sword."

"Believe me, Father, I know how to handle a sword. The sword I use when I'm fighting as Zorro belonged to Sir Edmund. He gave it to me, after I defeated him in one our lessons."

"You defeated Sir Edmund? He was the best swordsman in Europe, and no one was ever able to beat him. There was an outstanding wager that he would give his championship sword to any one to do so. I thought he had kept his sword until his death. But, you won it from him. No wonder Zorro fights so well."

"But why didn't you ever tell me, Diego? Why didn't you trust me?"

"Any accomplice of mine would surely be hanged beside me if my identity is ever discovered. As long as you didn't know you were safe."

"What about Victoria? You asked her to marry you? Did you tell her?"

"No, she doesn't know either, for the same reasons."

"She agreed to marry you without knowing you name?"

"Yes, she is a remarkable woman, and I'd do anything to protect her, even if it means that I have to put my life on hold."

Alejandro sat in his chair and stared at his son, unable to grasp what he had just discovered. Now that the information slowly sank in, he recognized the change in his son. It was not only what he said, but how he said it.

The man in front of him had a different attitude than the Diego he knew. He sat more upright, with his shoulders straight, and had the bearing of a self confident man. Also his voice sounded deeper and more distinguished. Now that he saw the differences, he could believe it. He had spoken to Zorro many times before, and he recognized him in the man who was sitting in front of him.

"I'm sorry, son, please forgive me all I said to you. I treated you so badly and showed my disappointment in you, and at the same time you saved my life again and again, and you never said a word."

"It is all right, Father. There is nothing to forgive. I only let you see what I want to show you, and the Diego you know is as part of my masquerade as the black mask I wear as Zorro."

When Alejandro stared uncomprehendingly at him, Diego began to laugh.

"I didn't really change that much in the four years I spent in Madrid. I do hate injustice and inactivity as much as you do, but I can't be suspected to be Zorro. That's why I invented peace-loving Diego."

"Do you say that the Diego, who I talked to these last years, is only an act? How could you do this for such a long time, and who is the real you?"

"I do love science and reading books, but that is the only thing that is true about the Diego you know. The real me you have met only under the mask of Zorro."

The revelations astonished Alejandro more and more. He had never suspected the depth of the deception that had taken place under his very nose. The more Diego told him, the prouder he got of his son. He thought he was through with surprises, but he learned differently when Diego got up and pulled a secret lever at the mantelpiece.

He looked in wonder at the secret entrance that opened up, and followed Diego into his secret cave. He learned of a world and of a man who had been hidden from him for so many years. Looking at the many unknown items stored at the cave, he couldn't stop asking, and for once Alejandro was grateful for the patience Diego displayed while answering his questions.

When the day got late, both were nearly hoarse from talking, laughing and exchanging ideas. Alejandro thought that he had never talked that much on one day, and he was finally at ease with the world, having found a man who shared his way of thinking and who was also his only son.


End file.
